Resource utilization in an intensive interdisciplinary treatment (IIT) of children with chronic pain syndromes: a qualitative review
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Abstract
Child and adolescents, pediatric pain is a complex biopsychosocial condition. Patients struggling with this condition face high healthcare-related expenditures and limited relief of symptoms when seeking treatment. Currently, billions of dollars a year are being spent on direct medical and direct non-medical expenses related to chronic pain conditions. With limited assistance from insurance companies, patients are expected to carry this financial burden alone. The primary objective of this study is to assess Boston Children's Hospital Pediatric Pain Rehabilitation Center (PPRC) and its effectiveness in reducing patients’ long-term healthcare utilization and improving patients’ quality of life.
This study reviewed a large collection of current research pertaining to chronic pain treatment programs and cost-related expenses. Using this research will allow us to understand the current trends related to healthcare utilization and effective treatment options and compare results to the data gathered during our study. In summation, we predict patients would demonstrate a decrease in healthcare utilization [direct and indirect costs] at one-year follow-up after treatment compared to a pretreatment year. We also predict that the intensiveness of the rehabilitation treatment would show benefits in pain-related psychological and health-related QoL measures as valid indicators of this therapy model. If these predictions prove correct, the data would agree with other current studies released that look at other similar IIT programs. With no uniformity in treatment among IIT programs, continual research is needed to look at the effectiveness of each program individually compared to the cost of admission into said programs.